Should your business buy EV chargers or use a funded installation?

Choose between a funded installation and buying by comparing your capital, annual net income, operational control and property commitment. Test the same design and usage under fully funded, part funded and self funded terms. Eligible workplace projects can receive up to £500 per socket through WCS [S1], but grant eligibility is separate from the commercial funding decision. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

How do you pay for EV charging?

Compare fully funded, part funded and self funded using a common site design. Ask what your business wants: charging for its own vehicles, an employee amenity, a visitor service or a public charging income stream. That purpose determines which forecast to test and how much control you need.

A funded installation exchanges some operating income and property flexibility for less capital spending. Buying means committing capital and taking the operating result. In either case, a provider can handle practical operation under a service agreement. Ask exactly what that service includes before comparing the options.

Use fully funded explained to unpack a funding proposal and the revenue-share guide to define what you would be paid.

How much do EV chargers cost under each option?

The comparison below is an illustration, not a quote. All usage, price and commercial inputs are assumptions. It uses the same destination-site example as the payback guide. An actual provider may offer another design, different terms or no funding for this assumed site.

Kilowatts (kW) measure power; kilowatt-hours (kWh) measure energy. Annual energy = sessions × 20 × 365. Sales = energy × £0.50. Operating net = sales − energy × £0.25 − £800 − sales × 3%. At mid use, 14,600 kWh yields £7,300 sales and £2,631 operating net. Fully funded host income is £7,300 × 10% = £730. Part funded host net is £2,631 × 60% = £1,578.60.

Simple ROI = annual host net ÷ host capital × 100. Payback = host capital ÷ annual host net. Ranges use the capital endpoints. Fully funded has no host capital payback here. Assume the provider pays operating bills before distributing the funded-model payments. Any retained host costs reduce the results.

These figures exclude VAT, tax, financing, grants, rates, insurance, host labour and equipment replacement. They are not lifetime returns. Replace the capital range with your commercial installation quote and check the calculation with your accountant.

Should my business buy its own EV chargers or let a charging company install them for free?

Start with how much demand evidence you have and how long you expect to control the site. If use is uncertain, buying exposes your capital to that uncertainty. A fully funded offer may reduce that exposure while committing your bays and access for the agreed term. Ask for the duration and development conditions before comparing income.

Part funded can sit between them, but do not assume your contribution buys a particular ownership stake. Require the capital, income, losses, buy-out and replacement rules in writing. Ask your solicitor to review the agreement rather than deriving rights from the model’s name.

Run a downside case with fewer paid sessions and more service spending. Ask what happens if the provider closes, changes hands or stops maintaining equipment. Compare loss of parking contribution with the charger income, especially if ordinary bays already earn money or support essential customer access.

What should you check before signing a free deal?

Ask for a supply assessment involving your distribution network operator (DNO), a parking and accessibility plan, and a planning review for the proposed works. Request responsibility for connection overruns in writing. Ask your solicitor about landlord and lender consent, liability, insurance, redevelopment, exit costs and reinstatement. Allocate business rates rather than assuming the funding label deals with them.

Ask who carries the applicable public charging duties and exemptions under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 [S3]. Check with your solicitor. Request operating records, billing exports, fault response arrangements and your rights to move service later. Ask the bidder to demonstrate the proposed equipment and software working together and explain how you would export records or change services before relying on a switching claim.

WCS currently closes on 31 March 2027 [S1]. Check eligibility separately from funding and obtain confirmation before deducting support. HMRC describes a 100% first-year allowance for qualifying new chargepoint expenditure [S2]. It is a tax deduction, not an equipment refund. Check with your accountant.

Next step

Bring the same design brief to get matched with an installer that covers your area. Piggy Pineapple Ltd operates this referral service. We refer enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner. Before passing on your details, we name the proposed partner and disclose whether our owner holds shares in it. See how we work.